all that's past is prologue...

Patrick and I just finished watching It's A Sin , which proved to be one of those shows that is so good that you feel far less guilty about paying for HBO. From the soundtrack (which I'm streaming right now), to the luscious casting, to the direction and cinematography ... I'm still thinking about every bit of it. Reminding myself of another time when so many were dying, but when no one seemed to care until it got so epidemic it could no longer be ignored (well, and until it was no longer just "the gays" who were dying). Remembering what it was like when it took six weeks to get test results. Immersing myself in London in the 1980s — so long ago and just yesterday. The show was so gentle with the subject and period, and yet so ultimately brutal. I was particularly struck by the story of Jill, the Wendy in her crowd of Lost Boys, who reminded me so much of so many I have known (well, let's face it, I knew someone like every one of the characters, and so many w...

We don't *always* work on various projects on our house. In fact, usually we are working on ones at one of the other houses — and luckily, there is plenty to go around! We have quite the to-do list of summer projects. Today Patrick worked at clearing brush at Hague so he can do some exterior work on a new mudroom there. We may or may not have been inspired to double down on the character of that renovation after walking through a new build this weekend that was...well, rather soul-less. If you want to follow the amazing work he's doing on Hague, follow Whoa to Wow. (in the meantime, bonfire anyone?) Meanwhile, I was over at Summit, cleaning out the hot tub to refill and boot back up. We're starting to think about what pool parties might be like this summer.... I have a whole wishlist for over there that increases space for people, such as new decking, a new patio, probably a new grill, and a smokeless fire pit. Not quite sure how to come up with the cash for all of it, but ...

So our whole impetus for going up north was actually to go dogsledding at Wintermoon Summersun . Beatrix and I had gone up for a mother-daughter weekend a few years ago, and fallen in love with the whole world that Kathleen has built there. With covid, she has switched to dog day trips rather than weekends, and so we wanted to share it with Patrick. We had originally meant to go up a few weeks ago, but it was too cold, so we were really happy to get in for what turned out to be the last run of the season. (I think the dogs were happy too). Beatrix was happy to be riding with a team led by Finn. Last time we were there, he was a small puppy running around the cabin stealing Beatrix's mittens. Now he's a lead dog. Monk and Wing, as wheel dogs, think he showboats a little too much but like him anyway. It was Patrick's first time (other than a tiny run we had done at Birch's on the Lake right before the pandemic started last year), and I think he enjoyed it too! Plus he had...

 I've always been fascinated by glass — I think I got it from my mom. So one thing we really wanted to do in our mini-vacation to Duluth last week was to take a glass class at Lake Superior Art Glass . Beatrix had taken a glass camp her in the Twin Cities at Foci and loved it, but Patrick and I were newbies. Luckily, they make it very easy. And covid-safe; our class was just the three of us and the instructor (all masked, and at the front of the shop with a big open window. We had chosen a flower making class, and our instructor Pete was great about explaining all the steps to us and going through the process. Turns out the most important part is to remember to keep the pipe turning at all times. I think I have a way to go before I develop the smooth fluidity that Pete showed in moving between things, but Beatrix got it pretty easily. Patrick was pretty good as well. There are a few steps: 1. Creating the step with green glass, gathering the glass then heating it. 2. Making another...

I'm nothing if not on top of the TikTok trends. Ok, just kidding. I basically only see TikToks if Beatrix shows me one, or I see a Circus Juventas post.  I appreciate aspects of it though. Like disrupting political rally attendance. Or pasta recipes. And recently my friend Jen (who is so on trend on digital things that she taught me all I first learned about Twitter lo those many years ago) posted about laundry stripping, which had apparently gone viral on TikTok. So three trips to stores later (because no one had all the ingredients) I was ready to give it a try. Here are the clean (but dingy) sheets: Here's the treated water: 1 scoop powdered Tide, 1/4 cup baking soda (I had a lot of baking soda so used that instead of hard-to-find washing soda), 1/4 cup Borax. I skipped the Calgon. Then soak for 4-6 hours. After soaking for 1 hour (yuck): After soaking for 4 hours (double yuck): I'm happy to report that the sheets now look and feel great and I am scouring the house for o...

From my earliest memories, Como Conservatory has been there for a quick, tropical escape when I've needed it, at the point of winter when you just *need* to go breathe warm air. It's been a few years though, since I have gone. New covid precautions make it harder — rather than just ducking in when it seems the dreariest, you have to plan in advance, and get a timed ticket (still free/by donation though), and of course social distance (or try to) once you are there — some people are more successful at that than others...  Beatrix and I headed over today. In theory you are supposed to follow a one-way path through the zoo as well, but zoos kind of bum me out, so we skipped that part and just bypassed to the two parts of the conservatory — the Tropical Adventures part and the main building. It felt lovely and familiar (and steamy and exotic) as soon as we walked in. Sloth mode (for Ximena). I think there is a waterfall loop of Minnesota. Maybe we should go on that soon. I miss Nor...

It's not 100% true that we have not gotten away in the last year. We were able to make a couple of trips up to the family cabin, thank goodness. But we had not gotten really *away* during the pandemic until now, when we had a long weekend in Duluth/the North Shore. To be honest, when we left, I was worried. So much of my self-identity, over the years, has come from the arts — and from travel. Neither of them have been possible for so long that they are hard to imagine, and I found myself really wondering "Are these things still core to me? Or are they no longer who I am? Have I changed into someone who hunkers down cozily in at home and does not go out to do things anymore? Is this a big life switch?"  That feeling was exacerbated when I closed the door behind me to head out to the car, and Brutus, for the first time, stood on his hind legs to scratch at the door and cried. I felt terrible. Maybe I really have changed. But when we got there — maybe even as soon as we stop...